Falling on what was clear, sunny afternoon, United Pacific Industries 1st Annual Car Show kicked off at their headquarters in Long Beach, California. Located next to the runway of the Long Beach Airport, there were plenty of sights and sounds that permeated the parking lot where all the beautiful rods, bombs, bikes, trikes, gassers, kustoms, and big rigs were strategically placed.

A handful of members from local car clubs, such as The Sultans and LA Roadsters were in attendance, displaying their cool kustoms and notable camaraderie. Visitors flooded into the event with high hopes of seeing some cool cars.

Vehicle owners at the event screeched their tires and revved their engines, keeping onlookers entertained and wowed. The smell of petrol and the sounds of raw, unfiltered power were all the more apparent at the show.

Festivities

There was live music courtesy of the Rayford Bros., a local band from Orange County, California, who filled the venue with vintage tunes from various eras of rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll. The food trucks provided savory food such as barbecue tri-tip and sausage that smelled just as good as it tasted.

The Rayford Bros. kept the crowd entertained with their throwback jams and catchy tunes.

“There are so many cars for my kids and wife to see,” visitor Bob Walker said. “I just want them to appreciate old school classics and why I love them so much.”

With everything going good and the show in full stride, the clouds came in heavy and did not let up. The pouring rain sent home all the garage queens, ending the show prematurely.

“A little bit of rain won’t hurt my ride,” Steve Dobbs said of his 1957 Chevrolet 210. “It makes my day to see people smile and take pictures when they see my Chevy.” As the show cleared out due to the adverse weather conditions, we were able to spot a few builds we felt stood out from the bunch.

“Even though the weather is iffy, we’re still out here doing our thing,” said Duane Hinkle with his 1929 Ford Model A Roadster. “This may be the first show for United Pacific, but certainly won’t be the last.”

One Mighty Fine COE

Elvin and Bernie Scalise built one cool cab over engine (COE) truck. Completely custom from head to toe, the Scalise’s built the all-steel 1938 Ford COE beauty right from their home.

The engine has a 460 cubic-inch big-block crate engine that supplies plenty of power for this unique build. Six-inch Peterbilt exhaust pipes shoot out the back, providing a nice growl to complement the immaculate truck. The air bag suspension allows for virtually any stance the driver sees fit, which is a great addition to this custom COE build.

This COE is essentially a kustom at heart.

Taking home top honors at the 2015 Whittier Area Classic Car Show, we weren’t the only ones who appreciate the craftsmanship of this Ford COE. Another notable award was its Best Special Interest award in 2013 at the 3rd Annual Colony Classic Car Show at Anaheim High School.

So familiar and relevant in the custom scene in Southern California, Scalise’s COE has become a popular sighting and we couldn’t do anything but praise this original truck build. What was stock red, this clean COE has undergone one successful transformation.

The cab, which is a combination of a Dodge and a Ford was chopped six inches. The front bumper and headlights came from a 1932 Ford and the grill came off a 1941 Ford, topped off with a custom sunvisor.

As for the rear, the bumper originated from a 1949 Plymouth and the taillights are courtesy of a 1977 Lincoln. A Buick Riviera deck hood was also supplemented with the extended cab, which came off a 1950 Dodge three-window.

The rear fenders were repurposed from a 1938 Hudson and the bed is courtesy of a more modern Chevrolet Silverado. Speaking of the cab, the door windows were meticulously reworked and include some sweet pinstriping to add a nice artistic touch to the COE’s clean paint job.

Sporting plenty of chrome from head to toe, this truck deserves all the accolades it has achieved so far, not only for its uniqueness, but more so for its unparalleled craftsmanship and classic design cues.

It is definitely the Frankenstein of COE’s, borrowing several pieces from different cars, but we’re not arguing with the results as they are simply fantastic.

Chrome Is The Name Of The Game

Gary and Diane Straughn brought out one clean 1956 Chevy 210. Immaculate and customized inside and out, where to begin describing the build is the hard part, in all honesty.

The 210 experienced a full frame-off restoration as well as a combination of brand new and rebuilt engine, transmission, rearend, brake system, steering, and front and rear suspension system. The rebuilt 350 cubic-inch V8 has just 6,500 miles on it, providing an adequate 325 horsepower.

The two-tone paint works well with the 210 in that it helps keep all the chrome subtle. Had it been painted a brighter color, it may have ended being too loud to gaze at. The neutral color choice suited the shoebox 210 well.

The detail in this 210 is precise.

Speaking of the engine, it has all the bells and whistles that’ll make enthusiasts drool. Components include Edelbrock’s Endurashine-finished manifold, carburetor, and water pump. Keeping things cool is a Mattson polished aluminum cross-flow radiator and core support.

Several pieces in the engine bay are chrome, which include the alternator, air conditioner compressor, power steering pump, valve covers, and air cleaner. Polished braided stainless hoses highlight the engine compartment, along with polished aluminum oil and transmission pans to complement all the other components under the hood.

A Turbo-Hydramatic 700R4 automatic transmission and a B&M shifter keep the shifts precise on the 210. A set of Crager chrome spoke wheels sit nicely along with a power front-disc, rear-drum brake system that provides plenty of stopping power for the custom classic. Straughn’s 210 has a Heidt’s front suspension and two-inch dropped spindles, mated with rear single leaf springs, and heavy duty front and rear sway bars that give the car rigid and precise handling characteristics.

The 210 completes its chromed-out undercarriage components with Flowmaster mufflers and chrome tips shooting out the back. Keeping on the topic of chrome, the exterior is also dressed with plenty of it, adding onto the luster Straughn’s 210 already emanates.

The exterior stainless glass trim has been meticulously redone, resembling its original form dating almost 50 years ago. The vent windows were removed from the 210 and replaced with a one-piece seamless glass that gives the car an even cleaner look.

With the abandonment of curved side window glass, we like the custom aesthetic touch added to Straughn’s 210. The front and rear bumpers were fitted, smoothed, and rechromed, providing a mirror-like finish and a nostalgic touch.

The custom “Kindig” chrome door handles are flush-mounted, blending well into the 210’s beautiful curvature. Inside the 210 is a plush, custom gray leather interior with chrome interior window frames, and a custom-mounted third brake light in the back glass.

The gray carpeted interior carries all the way to the trunk, which is complete with an 8-speaker sound system with two hard hitting 10-inch subwoofers in the trunk. Vintage Air keeps things cool inside, and an Ididit steering wheel column with a Grant steering wheel give the 210 a performance look for the driver. A clean Dakota Digital instrument panel keeps readings precise, updating the 210 in a good way.

Overall, Straughn’s Chevy 210 is a great piece of work that showcases its craftsmanship and attention to detail from any angle. Definitely a show stopper on the lot, we couldn’t help but double take at this beautiful classic.

Slicker Than Your Average

Tom Swegles presented us with one clean 1955 Chevy Pickup Truck. It may look like any ordinary ’55, but this one in particular is packing a little secret under the hood.

This ’55 Chevy Truck is powered by a 406 cubic-inch Chevy small-block V8, which packs a whopping 475 horsepower. Ceramic-coated Hooker headers, a Holley 650 cfm carburetor, and an MSD ignition system work in tandem to give this Chevy a little extra kick. The engine for this clean ’55 was built at Colangelo Classics & Repair in Garden Grove, California.

Power is put to the pavement with a beefed up 700R4 automatic transmission, which drives a 3.73 Positraction rearend. An Isky cam and a Magnaflow exhaust system round out the performance features on this classic small-block Chevy.

A four wheel disc brake kit, which is hidden behind a set of American Racing Torque-Thrust wheels helps stop this beastly truck. Moving onto the body, it was assembled at Wheelers Speed Shop in Huntington Beach, California.

The front clip is stabilized on a reinforced truck chassis, with a custom Poppyseed Red paint custom made and sprayed by Silvas Custom Auto Paint, also in Huntington Beach, California. There are also subtle flames painted on the truck thanks to Kelly and Sons Crazy Painters in Los Angeles, California, who did a wonderful job with the graphics. Not to mention, a hefty 25-gallon fuel tank hides underneath the truck’s bedliner.

Power steering, power windows, custom VDO gauges, and an ice cold Vintage Air conditioning system give this Chevy truck the update it needs for passenger comfort. We commend Sweggles gorgeous build and hope to see it at other shows around the area or an even bigger stage.

Wrapping Up

United Pacific’s 1st Annual Car Show was a success, keeping visitors at awe and car clubs happy.

The combination of great food, beautiful cars, and engaging car enthusiasts made for an enjoyable show, which we enjoyed from start to finish. There were even a few European and Japanese imports sprinkled into the show, showing love for all makes, not just classic American automobiles.

We hope next year the weather will hold up and to see you folks in attendance, too. Until then, keep it kustom and always stay classy!